


The Tale of the Three Sisters

by beta_wolf



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Black Family, F/M, Sisters, The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, black sisters, family love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-04-11 10:57:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4432901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beta_wolf/pseuds/beta_wolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The eldest sister was remembered to history as the psychotic Death Eater, most loyal to the dark wizard Lord Voldemort.  The middle sister was known in her life as a wife to a Death Eater and mother to a Death Eater.  The youngest sister was not known in life or in death except by those close to her who knew that she had chosen love over hate.</p><p>How did these three sisters, once inseparable in their love and devotion to each other,  grow to be strangers?</p><p> </p><p>Or also... Random scenes from throughout the lives of the sisters Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Andromeda Black.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Childhood Portrait

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure how long or involved this will be. I will try to update regularly!

The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, a family with blood status rivaled by only twenty-seven other families, anxious to preserve it’s purity and continue its line, proudly welcomed into the world two sons: Sirius Black and Regulas Black, the sons of Orion and Walburga Black. The boys were showered in gifts and love. They had round cherub faces and handsome dark hair. The family was so grateful to have sons who could keep the legacy of their house alive, that the three other children of the generation bearing this name became nothing more than bartering tools to strengthen the blood ties of their house, even after animosity grew between the brothers, and the eldest was disowned from his family.

When the birth of her cousin Sirius Black was announced, Bellatrix felt a curiosity towards this mysterious cousin. Why was everyone so excited about the crying human mandrake? When then were they not just as pleased with her sister? Why did her father Cygnus Black floo away when an owl came saying the boy had said his first words and then his first steps? When little Dromy and Cissy had said their first words only Mama had shone proudly. Why did he not care about the magic she produced, like when she ran to him and her steps were great bounding leaps? He told her to slow down and walk like a proper girl. When the boy Sirius shattered all of the windows in a tantrum while visiting, he had received a pat on the head for being showing such early signs of magic. Cissy had made a flower bloom when she was only one and a half, but no one came to praise her as the symbol of a great Black future. Bellatrix had taken the flower and pressed it between the pages of a large library book.

When the second boy was born, and the family fawned over the newest Black treasure, Bellatrix kept to the outskirts. Even her sisters cooed over the two boys. She watched with measured allowance. Her sisters could dote all they wanted on the boys, but she would be there to keep an eye on their interests. She was only ten, perhaps, but she was not deaf. Already she heard plans of how the Black house could rise to fame with two heirs to rise in the world, and three girls who could ally them with other powerful houses. Possible husbands were mentioned frequently for the girls aged ten, eight and six, but not once was a wife ever discussed for the boys. Bellatrix was certain that were it not for her cousins, her sisters would have led a very different life full of choices, as they would have been the recognized Black heirs. She would have been the eldest and head of the family.

Andromeda was the constant companion of young Sirius. Her older sister was always putting on motherly airs: brushing her hair, helping her dress and reminding her of proper decorum so she avoided punishments. Her younger sister always seemed too fragile to race and tussle with, and too afraid of breaking rules. The boy SIrius, however, had no such restraints. She taught him to climb trees, showed him the secrets of the manner house, went in search of wild berries. Sirius though the sun rose and set with her command. She was constantly scolded for mussing her frilly robes, but could always avoid true punishment when her cousin made puppy eyes and said, “But who else am I to play with?”

The first time Narcissa cradled the baby Regulas in her arms she decided that being a mother was not such a bad destiny to fulfill. As he gurgled, giggled and cast his deep brown eyes upon her, she knew that she had never seen anything so soft and precious in all her six years of life.


	2. Sorting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I'm not sure of everything that will happen, I may end up changing the rating/warnings/tags as the story progresses. FYI

As soon as the hat brushed the dark curls she had painstakingly worked to make smooth early that morning, the hat yelled for all the hall to hear, “SLYTHERIN!”

Bellatrix barely heard the cheers in the hall, she was lost in her own mind.  She wore a huge grin showing all her pearly white teeth.  Her face flushed in excitement.  Her eyes glowed with pride.  She was a true Black, following in Black tradition.  When her cousin and the family heir Sirius arrived in eight years’ time, he would be welcomed into his Hogwarts House.  She would already have established connections and leave the house with her sisters to keep the Black presence strong for their little cousin heir.  She slid onto an open seat at the Slytherin table and smiled at her dinner partners.  Yes, she may not be the heir herself, but she could guide this new generation of Blacks through their formative years.  She would be the matriarch, consulted and loved.

 

***

 

Andromeda felt her stomach drop as she entered the hall.  She kept her eyes trained on the floor so that she couldn’t accidentally catch her sister’s eye.  Bella was the star of her family.  The hat had placed her in Slytherin without hesitation and she had excelled in her classes for the past three years.  Her sister had assured her that she would be placed in Slytherin, but what if Bella was wrong?  She wouldn’t want to see the difference between Bella’s face now, and her face when she had let down the entire family. 

She was the second student called to be sorted.  She took a deep breath and stepped up the stairs.  Everything depended on her getting into Slytherin.  Andromeda was a constant disappointment.  She could never act feminine enough.  She was always too contrary.  She was too proud.  She was too passionate.  If she was a Slytherin then maybe her mother, father, aunt and uncle would like her, not as much as Sirius or Reg, but perhaps as much as obedient Bella or radiant Cissy.

She turned to face the hall.  This could be the last moment of hope for her, if the hat did not place her in Slytherin.  She got on her tiptoes to slide onto the tall stool, and the large black hat was lowered onto her head.

 _A lot of fear in this mind of yours, isn’t there?_ a voice whispered somewhere inside her head.  Rather than scaring her, Andromeda sat straighter in her chair.  Bella hadn’t mentioned a voice.  _Your sister was easy to place. I never spoke to her._

 A pleasure to meet you, Sir Sorting Hat, Andromeda thought politely.

_Hmm, not so scared as you once appeared, and you are quite eager to live as you wish instead of how your family chooses.  It takes much bravery to combat a family such as yours.  I have read most of their minds you see.  Yes, perhaps Gryffindor?_

_How could I make my family see being Gryffindor as an asset?_ Andromeda wrecked her mind.  _I could perhaps say I asked for Gryffindor, so that we would have eyes and ears in another house.  I would tell them that I put my own happiness aside to better serve the family._

 _Ah, well then_ , the hat whispered in her ear and Andromeda braced herself as she felt his presence leave her head to yell to the hall, “SLYTHERIN!”

The hat was plucked from her head and Andromeda stared out at the sea of black disbelieving.  She had prepared herself for the worst, but she had proved herself capable of at least not besmirching the Black reputation.  She let her eyes search the Slytherin table and saw her sister standing clapping hard with a smug smile on her face as if to say, I told you so. 

As she stepped down from the raised dias, she wondered why the hat had changed its mind.

 

***

 

Narcissa had found her sisters in the crowd the moment she walked through the doors.  She felt pixies in her stomach, but it was a general nervousness.  She was not afraid of the sorting.  She waited patiently as the hat sang it’s song and three students were sorted before her.  At last she sat on the stool and gave her sisters another smile before the hat fell over her eyes.  She was prepared for the voice in her head, as Andromeda had mentioned it to her that summer.

_Hufflepuff perhaps._

_Why do you say that?_ she demanded of the hat.

_Your loyalty to your family.  You would do anything for them._

_Of course,_ Narcissa responded calmly. _I love them_

 _Would you die for your family?_ the hat asked unimpressed.

 _No,_ Narcissa thought. _I would live for them._

“SLYTHERIN!” the hat yelled.  Narcissa smiled and calmly made her way to the Slytherin table where a seat was waiting between her two elder sisters.


	3. Christmas (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's past my bedtime and I work a double tomorrow so I won't be able to write or post tomorrow. Therefore, I decided to post my unfinished chapter "Christmas" in two parts rather than one.
> 
> I would so appreciate any thoughts you have =)

“Come along,” Bella said impatiently to Cissy who was hugging goodbye to a fellow Slytherin girl and a Ravenclaw who were also both first years.  Andromeda had said her goodbyes on the train, knowing from the previous year that Bella would shepherd them along efficiently and not appreciate the delay.  For all she loved her sister, she could be overbearing at times. She was always right.  It wasn’t just that she thought she was right; Mama and Father always tended to agree with her too.  So Andromeda had accepted her lead without complaint.  There were other things which bothered her much more about her family than her sister’s overprotectiveness.

Cissy gave her friends one last hug goodbye before running over to them.  She came in between them and offered both her arms.  Andromeda immediately linked arms with her sister and after an eye roll and a smile, Bella joined them too.  She spotted Kreature, their Aunt Walburga’s houseelf and sent him for their bags.

“But where’s Mama?” Cissy asked. The dimples faded from her cheeks as her smile fell.

“I’m sure Mama is very busy helping Aunt Walburga with the Christmas decorations,” Bella said leading them towards the platform exit.

“She could have left the houseelf to do that,” Andromeda muttered.

“Yes, well,” Bella said, and Andromeda noticed that her smile looked a little forced, “then who would carry our bags?”

As if summoned, Kreature appeared in front of them.  “Well if Mama didn’t come to collect us, then she can’t possibly mind if we come home straight away,” Andromeda said.  Her sisters looked at her incredulously as she addressed Kreature.  “Kreature, take our bags home.”

The houseelf snapped his fingers and he disappeared with their luggage.  “Come along,” Andromeda said mimicking Bella’s own tone when she ordered them around.  “Let’s go shop in Diagon Alley.  The coins in my pocket are burning a hole.  I do wish second years could go to Hogsmeade”

“We’re going to be in trouble!” Cissy squealed with a giggle.

“No we shall not,” Bella said. “Because we will come back with gifts for our dear cousins and deflect the whole situation back on them. Andromeda has done that more than a few times and escaped without a Crucio to her name.”

“Oh, Bella, our parents are strict but they wouldn’t Crucio us over something so trivial,” Andromeda dismissed her sister’s accusation.  She was shocked that Bella had even brought up the subject.  It was a curse which inspired a memory they all preferred to forget.  When Sirius was still an infant and Bella was not yet eight and a half, she had almost drowned their cousin in the brook behind their house.  It was child’s magic, and she couldn’t control it any more than any other child.  Their father had crucioed her so that her magic would release the baby.  Andromeda and Cissy had watched the whole thing wide eyed with terror from a nearby patch of grass.  Ever since, her aunt and uncle were always happy to allow herself or Cissy to spend time alone with the boys, but Bella was strictly forbidden.  It didn’t seem fair to Andromeda, it wasn’t as if Bella had meant to cause the boy harm.

Andromeda had followed Bella and Cissy through the gate and they were now walking along the Muggle streets of London to a nearby shop where they could floo to the Leakey Caldron.  It was a spell book shop, not well known, owned by a friend of Aunt Walburga’s.  Bella lead them in and did all the talking.  Soon they had all arrived safely in Wizard London.

“I’m glad to be out of that Muggle filth,” Bella said brushing her robes smooth.

“I agree,” Cissy said, and Andromeda found herself nodding just to keep them from fighting about it again.  She never quite liked the way her family talked about muggles.  Weren’t muggles once just as hateful towards wizards and witches?  She just couldn’t see how hating anything as harmless as muggles was a good use of her energy. Nor did she see the threat posed by mudbloods, muggleborns she meant to think. But the next moment she was thinking about nothing other than racing her sisters to Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour.

They raced in and out of shops for the next two hours, sure that their Mama or Father would show up any moment to bring them home.  Finally they walked with bulging pockets and armfuls of parcels back into the Leaky Caldron where Grandpapa sat with a paper and several beer glasses on the table in front of him.  Bella led the way towards him, and Andromeda was glad she was the take charge sort.  Bella would never even admit that it was one of her younger sister’s bad ideas which caused them to go gallivanting through Diagon Alley.  She always took the blame for any of group decisions.  She also tended to take most of the credit for their successes.

Grandpapa looked up from his paper and looked us over, his eyes narrowed.  None of  the girls managed to remember their manners and bow properly.   Bella started to speak but he raised his hand to silence the girls. “Sit.”

They all sat silently.  The only sounds which came from them was the rustling of their parcels as they were placed on the table and at their feet.  The noise of the pub flowed over the table as Grandpapa finished his beer and at last set down his paper.

“I came for you.  We had dinner.  I let you go shop, and now we’re going home,” Grandpapa told his granddaughters who all nodded along. For once neither Andromeda nor Bella had anything to say on the matter.  Cissy was usually the only one who could be depended upon to keep a tight lip.  “And I didn’t drink beer.”  Cissy giggles and Andromeda can’t help but join her.  Grandpapa winks before resuming his typical scowl.  “I like getting out of the house, but that doesn’t mean I condone your actions.  Like a group of idiot muggles, you set off into a world you don’t know enough about.  At least you managed to muddle through it well enough.  The family has plans for you girls.  Don’t go buggering the whole scheme.”

We all bowed our heads, properly chastised.  He grunted, flipped a couple galleons onto the table and led them over to the fire pit.  He produced a pouch of floo powder and a few minutes later, they were all standing in the fireplace of Grimmauld Place.

No further fuss is made over their arrival.  The sisters scurry up the stairs to a room which they all share.  There was a fuss of bossiness from Bella, some eye rolling from Andromeda, and Cissy’s contagious giggles as they changed into night gowns and brushed out their long hair.  Bella stood behind Andromeda and Cissy in front of her, forming a chain.  It was a long standing tradition among them. Bella always was last to bed and liked the peace of brushing her own hair.

“What’s that?” Bella asked from her seat in front of the vanity.  She was talking about the book Cissy was writing in on the bed.

“My diary,” Cissy said, and Andromeda peered over to see what she was writing.  Cissy tipped the side of the book up.  “It’s private.”

Bella let out a laugh.  “If you don’t want anyone to read your thoughts, then you shouldn’t commit them to paper.”

“Don’t get ink on the sheets,” Andromeda mumbled, already half asleep.


	4. Christmas (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was trying to show some of the family dynamics. Hopefully I succeeded, but I have to go to work so no time to fuss over it!

The next morning the girls were woken to loud wraps on the door.  In bounced an enthusiastic Sirius trailed by the curious, but less rambunctious Regulas who was still clutching tightly to a small blanket.  Narcissa grinned to see that Aunt Walburga had yet to break him of that childish habit.  While Sirius railed Andromeda for details of Hogwarts, she was his favorite, Narcissa pulled Reg onto her lab.  He gave her a big kiss on the cheek and began to ask a few particular questions.  Like was it scary to sleep in a different bed and could she come visit more often.

Kreature appeared in the door some time later and announced that they were all expected in the dining room. The girls shoed the boys out of their room so they could change into their proper clothes.  As much as she liked Hogwarts, Narcissa was excited to be able to not wear her uniform for the entire ten day vacation.  She pulled on a pale blue robe that was trimmed with silver stitching, and she chose a locket pendant from her jewelry box.  After she had finished in the bathroom and primping herself for presentation, she noticed Dromeda with her hair still a poufy tangled mess leaning impatiently against the wall by the door. Just then Bella came out of the bathroom and swept pass them. 

“Straighten your robe, Cissy,” she said and then she scanned Dromeda up and down.  “Really, you need to learn how to brush your own hair.  We won’t always be there.  And we were trying to make a good impression this morning.  Well, we can’t be any later.  Wands?”  Narcissa and Dromeda held them up, though the later did it while rolling her eyes.  “To the pyre we walk.”

They formed a neat line of three in age order.  Narcissa took her place at the back.  It was comfortable to be hidden behind the safety of her two older sisters.  They filed down the stairs and then into the sitting room.  Aunt Walburga dominated the room.  Everyone seemed to sprawl outwards from her.  She was like a muggle King on his throne.  Uncle Orion was leaned against the large fireplace.  He was a thin weedy man.  Narcissa hoped that she never had to marry a man like her Uncle.  She wanted a man who was independent and took charge of his own life.  A man whose name she could be proud to bear. Their own mother and father were sitting on a couch off to the side, and Regulas was sitting on a couch holding a school workbook.  Sirius was not to be seen.

They walked in orderly and fell easily into a row where their aunt could examine them all easily.  In years of perfected synchronism they all bowed, sweeping back their robes and with their wands presented in full view in their non-dominant hand.  It was an act of submission and pureblood formality.  Next they turned and offered the same bow to their own parents.  After this second bow they remained in their bent over state awaiting permission to stand once more. 

“Bellatrix, I have no idea what you were thinking allowing your sisters to go traipsing through filthy muggle London,” Aunt Walburga said.

“We only went as far as Odette’s shop where we would have had to walk to anyways,” Dromeda interrupted, causing Narcissa to cringe at her lack of tact.

“I don’t know how your mother allowed you to ever grow such a tongue. We’ll have our work cut out for us when it’s time to find you a husband,” Aunt Walburga gave a pointed look at her sister-in-law.  Narcissa watched as a light blush spread over her mother’s pale features, though she was also looking at Dromeda sharply. Narcissa knew she was embarrassed not in how Aunt Walburga was speaking to her daughter but that Dromeda had spoken that way to the matriarch of the family. Meanwhile, Dromeda turned bright red with anger as their Aunt continued.  As their Aunt continued her voice elevated until at the end she was shrieking the words. “You would be lucky to have a muggle want to marry you! Can you imagine the horror.  I’d sooner have you killed! No, we’ll have to offer a good dowry for a suitable boy to take you.  Perhaps and ugly one won’t complain about your temper.” 

After allowing time for his wife’s words to sink in, Uncle Orion came forward.  “Have you anything to say for yourselves?”

Bella smiled sweetly.  “We only went to pick up presents for little Sirius and Regulus.” 

Regulus’ head popped up from the book he had been studying dutifully.  “Presents!”

Bella nodded at their cousin. “Dromeda and Cissy aren’t allowed to Hogsmeade.  We meant no harm, and Kreature didn’t bring any notice of when we were expected at home.  He only came for our baggage.”

“Oh, Father, they can’t get in trouble for buying us presents!” Regulus said running up to Narcissa and hugging her around the waist.  He sent big puppy eyes at his father and mother.  Narcissa couldn’t help but wonder where Sirius was to get them out of this mess.  Probably flying around on his toy broom in the attic again.  Regulus didn’t know but if his eyes didn’t work they were all in for a few stinging charms each.  It left large red welts twice as bad as any bee sting and usually their mother did not aim for comfortable locations lest they should forget the seriousness of causing the family the slightest bit of distress. 

Narcissa found herself wondering how Bella had let Dromeda lead them astray.  It wasn’t like her to intentionally cause disruption.  Her eldest sister was such a mystery to her.  She knew that Dromeda and Bella exchanged a few secrets.  It wasn’t fair that they should keep things from her.  She was only one year younger than Dromeda.  Narcissa did her best to keep a pleasant smile on her face while internally she was seething with her sisters for the trouble they were in now.  She always let them make the decisions for the three of them.  Maybe she shouldn’t

At last their uncle had turned the decision over to their own father who had decided that they would not need to be punished.  It was a relief.  The rest of Christmas even Dromeda walked around on tiptoes, though Narcissa took a bitter pleasure in the fact that she didn’t manage to leave Grimmauld Place without earning herself a few stinging curses for her unruly tongue.  Sirius shrugged when Regulus told them how their cousins almost got punished for buying them presents. 

“So they got scolded, big deal,” he had said.  Narcissa made a point of accidentally shoving him the next time she passed him in the hall.  The little brat was never punished.  He didn’t know how much it hurt to sit through a four course meal with a snitch sized lump on his bottom.  She didn’t think Sirius had so much as ever even had his toys taken away.  When she confessed her frustration with her sisters, Bella had shrugged and said, “You’re only just figuring out how fucking spoiled they are?”

Dromeda said, “He’s not so bad considering what they let him get away with.  I make sure I beat him at everything we do to give him some humility.” After a pause she adds. “I’m not sure how much it helps.”


End file.
